Monthly Archives: December 2020

cremation services in Roy, WA

Transporting Remains By Plane After Cremation Services

One of the benefits of going forward with cremation services in Roy, WA for a loved one who has passed away is that after the cremation is complete, the person’s remains are in a much smaller, easier to transport form. If you want to take that person back to their hometown across the country, or you want to take them to a special location out of state for an ash scattering service, that is much more possible with cremation. You can easily place the urn in a safe location in your car and drive them wherever you want to go, but there are also flying options.

If you decide you are going to take a flight somewhere and your loved one is going to come along in the urn, you need to make sure you have the remains prepared correctly. They need to be in an approved container that will keep everything in order. Rather than use the simple container that the funeral home provides, you will want an urn that can be tightly sealed to avoid any accidental spilling while the plane shifts around.

Once you choose an airline, you will need to look into the rules and policies they have on traveling with an urn. Different airlines have different regulations so check with a few, or ensure that you know what the rules are on the airline you have chosen. You will want to clarify anything you don’t understand so you can get everything in order without confusion later.

It is important to make sure you have a certified copy of your loved one’s death certificate for you. It might be something you are asked to present to prove what is in the container. Your urn will need to go through the x-ray process, which is not a problem with plastic, cardboard, glass, or other such materials, but metal can cause issues. If you have a metal urn for your loved one, talk to the airline to see what they need you to do in order to pass through.

cremation services in Roy, WA

The biggest piece of advice is to know the airline rules and to follow them so when you check in and board the flight, there aren’t any issues that you haven’t already addressed. You will want to make sure things go as smoothly as possibly as you are likely mourning and dealing with a lot as it is.

The professionals who have helped with your loved one’s cremation services in Roy, WA may have further insight and advice as to what you can do when you want to travel with an urn by plan to another location. If you decide to make the trip, even a month or longer after the cremation has taken place, you can still call Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary and get advice as to what you will want to do to get things ready in advance so you are as prepared as possible. We’re always here to help you with whatever you need pertaining to your loved one’s services.

funeral homes in Eatonville, WA

Virus Issues And Funeral Home Plans

Remember when you first heard about the coronavirus? Then things started to shut down and you thought, surely this will pass in a few weeks. It didn’t. And now, things are not normal, but have been adjusted to a new normal for now. The virus impacts many parts of your life from how you work, how your kids do school, and even how you get your shopping done. Then, when someone in your family passes on, you realize that the virus can even impact the way you plan final services with funeral homes in Eatonville, WA. Here are a few things you might do differently to get your loved one what they need while you keep your family as safe as you can.

Keep The Service Small

During past years, you might have considered opening the service to the public so anyone whose life was touched by your loved one could attend and pay their respects. But right now, that’s just not possible. You will likely want to have a smaller funeral service with a limited group size. You may just have immediate family attend so you can keep others that you don’t know as well safe. You don’t want anyone spreading anything right now.

Have The Service Outside

Though you still don’t want a large group of people, if there are several different family groups that are going to be mixing because they all want to say goodbye to your loved one, it might be best to have the service outside in the fresh air where it’s easier to stay separated and safe. You might normally have the service at your church or in a funeral home, but today, outside is often the safest location for gatherings.

funeral homes in Eatonville, WA

Consider A Virtual Option

It can be hard for people who really want to attend to stay away, but the last thing you want is for a high-risk individual to attend the service and get sick as a result. You could keep those people at bay and safe by telling them that you are going to have a virtual option for the service. Livestream the service, for example, so anyone who wants to participate can watch it and get the closure they need from the proceedings without actually being there and opening themselves up to danger.

There are lots of other changes you might see and have to make when working with funeral homes in Eatonville, WA during this unique time in history. And while no one wants to have to work with a funeral home on a final service for a loved one, there is some good news. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary have adjusted to these times very well and we are here to give your loved one the services they need with honor and respect all the way through. We have flexible options with all of the safety protocols in place to keep everyone as safe as possible while your loved one goes through their final services.

cremation services in Eatonville, WA

Decisions To Make Surrounding Cremation Services

Once you decide that you want cremation services in Eatonville, WA for your loved one, there are a lot of other decisions to make around that choice. You have made the largest, most important decision already, so that’s a weight off your shoulders. But there are other things you are going to need to think through and decide as well. Here are a few of the larger choices to start thinking through.

Where The Cremation Will Take Place

Just because you decided on cremation doesn’t mean you know where you want to have it done yet. You can have a crematory take care of it for you or you can contact a funeral home for the process. It can be helpful to have a funeral home’s help because they offer other services that you might want as well. Plus, they have a lot of experience with grief and will show you the compassion and support you need.

What Services You Want After Cremation

Once the cremation is complete, you can do whatever you’d like for your loved one. Some families want to follow certain traditions and have a memorial service that feels more like a funeral while others air on the celebration of life side. There are also options between the two that are less somber, but still feel more like a memorial service than a celebration event. Once you decide what kind of service you want to hold, you can start thinking about location, time, day, and so on.

What You Can Spend

It is important to set a budget for the process or things can get out of hand rather quickly. You want the best for your loved one once they pass on and that’s understandable. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend everything you have to get them what they need. Cremation, for example, is a cost-effective process. You don’t have to spend a lot and your loved one’s needs are met. After that, you can have a cremation memorial service of some kind in a way that you can afford that will honor your loved one greatly.

cremation services in Eatonville, WA

What You Want To Do With Cremains

After the services you planned and held are complete, you will want to figure out what to do with your loved one’s remains. You can bury them, keep them in an urn, spread them somewhere, or choose one of the other many options. Think through the choices with care and consult with family members about what you might want to do.

When you are working on cremation services in Eatonville, WA, the biggest decision you will have to make is to move forward with the cremation itself. Once that decision is made, you can take your time with the others. Cremation has a way of removing the timeline from other decisions, so you are able to relieve yourself from the pressure and take your time moving forward. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary are here to help support you with compassion through it all.

funeral homes in Roy, WA

The Truth About Embalming With Funeral Homes

Until you are in the position of making final service plans with funeral homes in Roy, WA for a loved one, you likely don’t think about embalming. You might even assume it is a part of the process no matter what—that it is required. However, embalming is something the funeral home should never force upon you. If they do, choose another funeral home. While it is a good idea in some circumstances, it is not a requirement and you need to think carefully about what you want for your loved one.

Embalming is something families generally want to do if they are going to have a viewing for their loved one, or an open casket at their funeral. The process will keep their loved one’s body in the best conditions for those services. But embalming uses chemicals that some people don’t necessarily want to place in their loved one. The chemicals can seep out into the soil after burial and harm the environment. There are alternatives sometimes, but not always, so you will want to ask about that.

This embalming process makes your loved one look as if they are sleeping and resting for their visitation or funeral service. Sometimes, seeing a person in that state can give family peace of mind about their status. It can also give them closure, seeing the person in a casket. It’s one way to remind everyone that the person is indeed gone and not coming back.

However, embalming does have a cost to it and if you are on a limited budget, you might not be able to afford this extra service. Instead of embalming, you could skip that service, have a closed casket, or another kind of service. Your budget is going to determine a lot about what you can and can’t do for the final services.

funeral homes in Roy, WA

Embalming is a highly common service that is often used in conjunction with funeral services, especially with a visitation and/or open casket funeral is involved. But it is not a required service and there are things you can do to get around it, if you so choose. Don’t let a funeral home tell you that you have to do it because that is not the case. Use another funeral home before you feel forced into this service, or any other, for that matter.

When you are working with funeral homes in Roy, WA, ask about the embalming options if you are having your loved one go through a regular funeral service and burial. You might want to include it to get the benefits of an open casket and the closure it can bring. Or, your budget might force you to avoid it and there are options for that as well. The professionals at Weeks’ Dryer Mortuary understand that you are going through a hard time and this topic, among many others, is just not easy. But we’re here to help you through the decision by giving you the information you need.